Bay Bridge tolls rise to as much as $6 during peak hours starting Thursday

FasTrak users get a break, but once-free carpool lanes to be charged $2.50

The Bay Area Toll Authority is reminding drivers of toll increases to the region's seven state-owned toll bridges effective Thursday, July 1.

Auto tolls on the Bay Bridge will be $4 during weekday off-peak hours, $5 all day Saturdays and Sundays, and $6 from 5 a.m. to 10 a.m. and from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. on weekdays.

In addition, a carpool toll of $2.50 will be introduced for the first time, with a $3.50 discount off the new $6 peak-period toll at the Bay Bridge. The discounted toll for carpool vehicles with FasTrak will be in effect between 5 a.m. to 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. to 7 p.m.

The regular auto toll will rise to $5 at all times on the Antioch, Benicia-Martinez, Carquinez, Dumbarton, Richmond-San Rafael and San Mateo-Hayward bridges, according to the toll authority.

Bay Area drivers are encouraged to pay bridge tolls with FasTrak, which are available at many local Walgreens, Safeway and Costco stores. New customers who buy a FasTrak at a participating retailer through July 15 can get up to $10 in free tolls.

For more information, visit www.bayareafastrak.org or call 511.

Comments

Like this comment

Posted by Pablo
a resident of Birdland
on Jun 27, 2010 at 4:38 pm

So when do we start firing people for not doing their jobs and screwing up the california economy? 6 bucks for bridge toll and for a bridge which was paid for 50 years ago................give me a break!!! Vote them all out.

Posted by worker man
a resident of Another Pleasanton neighborhood
on Jun 27, 2010 at 7:42 pm

I guess if you have a job they got to get you somehow ... how are those poor government parasites gonna live if they had to balance a budget like real businesses ... so if you work you pay for parasites. Keep churning hard workers. I'm one of you.

Posted by Mary
a resident of another community
on Jun 28, 2010 at 9:16 am

Gotta Pay to Work!!! I moved outta CA to AZ. We will send you some of our illegal aliens that don't work. They don't have to pay for anything.......But you keep boycotting our state. California has got it right. PAY TO WORK!!! LOL

Posted by Julia
a resident of Another Pleasanton neighborhood
on Jun 28, 2010 at 10:26 am

Pablo, worker man and Mary...you all have it right. Anyone that is in favor of this action is brain dead or one of those parasite's. We voted them in folks, so it's up to us as always to do something about it and like usual, we won't. By the way, I am almost sure the same parasite's that came up with this increase get a free pass...like so may other government parasite's do these day's. It's we the people that are the fools...we are too lazy and over involved with our own little life to pay attention to what is really happening to our society. One day soon we will realize there are only the rich and the poor...and the fools in the middle working 24/7 to keep the rich happy and the poor to live a level above the middle class. I know there are many of you that will just laugh...but the plan is set and the middle class are the star player's. Unfortunately you won't see it happen because you will working 24/7 to maintain the quality of life for the others. Thanks for listening, Julia from downtown Alamo, Ca.

Posted by Julia
a resident of Another Pleasanton neighborhood
on Jun 28, 2010 at 12:16 pm

With all due respect to Pablo and even to you Pleasanton Parent...I do not believe Pablo meant because the bridge has been paid for many years ago that we should go beck to the .50 toll. We all know you need to maintain the bridge...but at the rate of $5.00 and $6.00 per toll you are looking at well over $1 million per day...the SF/Bay bridge does not have maintain cost of a million dollars + per day. Follow the money, and even you Pleasanton Parent may be very surprises.
Thank you Julia, from Alamo

Let's all tell the truth here. This has nothing to do with maintainment of the bridges but rather complete mismanagement of the state funding and they are holding a gun against the heads of those who are required to cross the bridge. My wages have not grown in 5 years and I have to go across to get to my work. I have only been in this country 8 years but this is crazy!!!! Take it back to 4 dollars and fire the administration and bridge commission

Posted by Peter
a resident of another community
on Jun 28, 2010 at 7:55 pm

One thing I find interesting is that no one is questioning where the money really goes. It's not all to maintain the bridges. It's not just the bridges that are taking your tax dollars, it that our politicians who can't agree on how to balance a budget nor do I believe they have a desire to do so. And Californians are not alone in this, just look at your neighboring states. They too are in bad shape, all for the same reasons.